Sunday, March 05, 2006

After Thaksin was elected PM in Thailand, the stock market tripled. The IMF debt was paid up in full and the economy has never been better. The farmers in the rural areas never had it so good - a micro-loan scheme that Thaksin implemented delivered a better life to numerous villages in the north. These villagers form his stranglehold on power.

Any Singaporean looingk at this will think that the Thais should be delighted with Thaksin. Under Thaksin, they have more money than ever to go shopping at MBK (Ma Boon Kong) , the biggest shopping center in Bangkok, eat at the numerous restaurants and of course enjoy the wonderful nightlife that puts our Crazy Horse to shame.

With so much going for them these Thais in Bangkok are so silly. They are spending their time protesting instead of shopping. So what are they protesting for? Something intangible and abstract - Democracy. See these Thais have nothing better to do than to worry about the concentration of power on a few men despite their track record. Among other things, they are worried about the demage to democratic process, cronyism, checks & balance etc. Many fear losing their say about the future of their country.

Coming from Singapore, I would like to tell the Thais to relax, stop protesting and go home to watch TV. Why exhaust yourself to improve the democratic process? Concentration of power? Loss of say in the country's future? Just look at successful Singapore. We gave power to a handful of elites who slowly controlled our media until we totally forgot what Democracy is, yet we are all so happy. We let the elites decide for us the future of our society be it casinos, floodgates of foreigners into the country, etc. Instead of troubling yourself trying to figure out what is good or bad, someone is always there to tell you what to do. Check and balance, transparency? I'll tell the Thais this and many Singaporeans believe wholeheartedly : What you don't know won't hurt you! If the NKF wasn't exposed, we will all still be happily donating our money and we will still be enjoying those wonderful NKF shows.

I believe Thaksin will win big in the coming elections, his opponents who chose to boycott will see their influence diminished after the elections. Unfortunately, due to the protests, Thaksin has promised to undo and reform the constitution for greater democracy, so it will take a much longer time for the Thais to be like Singapore. See I'm allowed to write about the elections and politics of Thailand while their elections is on the way, but once the Singapore elections is announced, I've to take my blog down to avoid violating electioneering laws. See how far behind the Thais are compared with us? Their political system will take a long time to catch up with the advances that the PAP has made to our system.

We are all very lucky to have effective government in Singapore. The Thai's find problems in this and that with Taksin: -

1. "Taksin gives us nothing."2. "Taksin only give aid to the provinces who support ThaiRakThai. The government is for the whole country and not for ThaiRakThai"3. "Taksin uses indenpendent insitutions like the courts to silent his critics."4. "Taksin controls the media."5. "Taksin uses policy corruption to enrich himself and cronies around him."

Such things are so alien to us Singaporeans where there is absolutely no such things happening in Singapore. Our government will never stand such nonsense.

Lucky Tan, I think you're just a stupid Singaporean who doesn't see things in bigger pictures. You're just one of those Singaporeans who are the frogs the well. Think before you comment on Thailand. You're just a proud dumbed ass Singaporean! There are many rich or well off people in Bangkok also ok! Many Thais are also richer than average Singaporeans!

I've met many Singaporeans who are not happy with Singapore also but they have no choice. Some of them even told their Thai friends that they envy them, born in Thailand where they have more freedom and nicer, more polite people in general than rude and sometime uncultured Singaporeans.